Hello Everyone, I'm just joining this group in hopes to find somebody that has experienced something similar. I have a 5 year old DS that has been having cycles of vomiting and diarrhea for almost 2 years. Currently we are on a cycle that has been going on for about 3 months...

Brief history - we've been trying to figure this problem out through diet elimination, acid reflux medication, etc. It seems as though we get it figured out and then it strikes again in a few months. His longest time without symptoms was from Feb 2011 - Sept 2011, at which point we did major diet change and identified many food allergies. He is following a very strict gfcf diet and nothing artificial. When this started up again in September I tried eliminating foods to see if that was the culprit and I wasn't finding any pattern.

This is what's happening - It started 3 months ago and was very consistent happening around 2:30am, give or take 30 minutes, 3-4x a week he wakes up with severe vomiting and diarrhea. The attack usually lasts for about 4 hours with vomiting and diarrhea every 15 minutes or so and then he gets an hour or so of sleep and wakes up the next morning hungry and vibrant (besides the lack of sleep). He may have the occasional diarrhea through out the day but not the continuous urge he has at night. While he was having these attacks he had some stomach cramping but nothing too severe.

Fast Forward to the last two weeks - he is still having these vomiting/diarrhea spells 3-4 or more times a week but he isn't waking up the next morning extremely hungry. The time isn't as consistent either. It's still only at night but attack can start anywhere between 10pm-5am now His appetite is dramatically less. He is also starting to have severe stomach cramping during attacks and last night I saw stringy mucousy blood in his stool for the first time. I actually took him to the ER because I was so fearful of some kind of intestinal blockage because of the pain he was in. The took an xray and didn't find anything alarming. His blood only showed low potassium. The took stool samples but the results take a few days to process.

One other thing to note is that his food in his vomit isn't digested at all! His banana that he ate yesterday morning at 7:30 came up in his vomit undigested at 10:30pm. He vomits to the bile stage.

His pediatrician is useless. He basically wants us to come in every month for a weight check to make sure he doesn't go under weight and just keep "watching him" Really?!?! Ugh. Praying for answers or at least start to answers at the peds GI on Monday!

Any thing I should specifically talk to GI about? Screenings? Tests? I can't imagine restricting his food even more!!

My goodness, how awful! I've never heard of anything like that. The only thing I thought of was digestive enzymes. Have you tried that? Enzymedica is a good, potent brand and their site answers many questions. Is he on probiotics?

At the very least, enzymes and probiotics might slow some of the deterioration you're seeing in his digestive system. At most, it might actually help tremendously.

I hope you find answers soon. What professionals have you taken him to?

Mama to two sweet boys, a 7yo and a toddler .

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. - Albert Einstein

My daughter has had similar symptoms the last 2 1/2 weeks. Vomiting only at night and then seems to be fine during the day. You mentioned that you were going to a GI specialist. I hope your son is doing better and that you got some answers. Did you figure it out? My Ped is leaning toward a CT scan, but this is her only symptom and my instinct tells me that it is something else. Going through blood panel and allergy testing now. My heart goes out to you as I know how hard this must be for you and the family.

My son has been having the same symptoms for the last two and half weeks. During the day he feels fine, except for little appetite, and every night around 3:00 am he has vomiting with or without diarrhea. His primary care is out of town (of course) so I am working with the nurse practitioner who is 'perplexed'. He also had Kawasaki disease this summer and I am wondering if he may have a suppressed immune system or immune system disorder. Seems like I read several people with this problem, but it seems like no one has been really given an answer. Hopefully I will find something out soon.

My son has been having the exact same thing for 6 months now. We did blood allergy test and have seen a pediatric GI specialist. He was given the diagnosis of abdominal migraines. I had never heard of such thing until I started researching and everything fits!
This week has been the worst so far with 5 nights of waking up at 0100 each night and puking followed by horrible diarrhea. My 10 y/o asked me to take him to the ER because his stomach pain was so sever. We are following up again with the pediatric GI specialist to scope his stomach to confirm the diagnosis once again but maybe that is something you can ask your pediatrician.